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Music Map of England
Each month we’ll list music venues, shops and events around England. This month we begin in the North West. Of course, this list is by no means comprehensive, but it is a taster of what’s on offer.

Cheshire

The Music Box
www.musicandco.co.uk
A musical instrument shop offering a full repair service for all instruments including piano tuning and restoration. Comprehensive advice given, covering all aspects of music. They sell guitars, strings, woodwind, brass, pianos, electronic keyboards and percussion.

Cheshire Youth Orchestra
www.cheshireyouthorchestra.org
Comprising talented musicians under 21 years of age from Cheshire and the surrounding areas, Cheshire Youth Orchestra performs all over the world.

Northern Chamber Orchestra
http://www.ncorch.co.uk/index.htm
Receiving consistently excellent reviews, the Northern Chamber Orchestra performs in Cheshire and all over the North West

North Cheshire Concert Band
http://www.northcheshire.org.uk/nccb.html
Based in Warrington, the NCCB is a non-professional wind orchestra made up of about 40 members. 

Alexander’s Jazz Theatre
http://www.alexandersjazz.com
An intimate jazz venue in Chester

Cumbria

Billy Bowman
www.billybowmanmusic.co.uk
A large range of instruments, from harmonicas to pianos, guitars to saxophones, bhodrans to bagpipes are packed into the shop, all available to be tried or demonstrated.

Lake District Summer Music Festival
www.ldsm.org.uk
Founded in 1984 the International Festival held every August is now one of the top classical music festivals in the United Kingdom, attracting world class performers as well as being an outlet for young musicians and rising stars to perform.

The Kirkgate
http://www.thekirkgate.com/music.asp
An arts centre that puts on music and theatre performances as well as housing a cinema. Managed and run entirely by volunteers and supported by over 200 members, The Kirkgate has a varied and exciting programme attracting many high quality musical events.

The Brewery Arts Centre
www.breweryarts.co.uk
A working brewery until 1968, the Brewery Arts Centre now offers a comprehensive music programme.

Lancashire

A&C Hamilton Musical Instruments
www.achamilton.co.uk
This musical instrument shop has been running for 25 years. They sell guitars, strings, woodwind, brass, pianos, electronic keyboards, and percussion.

The Music Cellar
www.themusiccellar.co.uk
Established in 1975, this musical instrument shop sells guitars, woodwind, brass, pianos, electronic keyboards, percussion, and student-level strings.

Folkus
www.folkus.co.uk
Folkus is the Folk Arts Network of the North West. It’s an organisation founded by enthusiasts to celebrate, support, and build upon the continuing vitality of traditional and contemporary folk music, song and dance in the North West of England.

Manchester

Spectrum Music
www.spectrummusic.co.uk
This musical instrument shop is run by professional musicians with a combined 40 years of stage and studio experience. They sell guitars, strings, woodwind, brass, pianos, electronic keyboards, and percussion.

Halle
www.halle.co.uk
Britain's largest established symphony orchestra. As part of its ongoing commitment to living composers, the Hallé - as well as presenting many important UK and Manchester premieres - has given the first performances of works by Elgar and Vaughan Williams, and more recently, new pieces by Thomas Adès, John Casken, Luke Bedford and Mark-Anthony Turnage.

Night n Day
www.nightnday.org
Based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester, this live music venue has earned a reputation as one of the friendliest places to catch live bands.

Dpercussion
www.dpercussion.com
Dpercussion is now the biggest cutting edge free festival in the north of England with 80,000 people anticipated to attend this year. Over 150 live artists and Dj’s will perform on 9 stages.

Royal Northern College of Music
www.rncm.ac.uk
The RNCM, formed in 1973 from the merger of the Royal Manchester College of Music with the Northern School of Music. For many years it has been the first choice institution for a large number of aspiring professional musicians from the UK and overseas. It is also a highly regarded classical music venue.

Matt and Phred’s
www.mattandphreds.com/home
A dedicated jazz club, Matt and Phred’s offers live jazz from Monday to Saturday, with Sundays reserved for other genres of music. Born eight years ago, the venue has established itself as one of the best jazz venues in the North.

Merseyside

The Cavern
http://www.cavern-liverpool.co.uk/cavernclub/
No explanations needed as to why this venue’s so famous. Open seven days a week, you can always catch live music at the venue famous for giving The Beatles their start.

Probe Records
http://www.probe-records.com/
Home to Liverpool’s underground music scene since 1971, with a remarkable supply of vinyl, tapes and CDs, you’re certain to find something to treasure.

Night n Day and the Royal Northern College of Music have kindly given us tickets for two upcoming events. The first person to email us specifying which concert they’re interested in, wins the tickets.

To win 2 tickets to see Canadian band Tokyo Police Club at Night n Day, Manchester on Thursday August 23, email takeitaway@artscouncil.org.uk quoting Tokyo Police Club as the subject.

To win 2 tickets to see Northumbrian quartet Rachel Unthank and the Winterset at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester on Saturday September 29, email takeitaway@artscouncil.org.uk quoting Rachel Unthank as the subject.

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